Did I Miss the Memo? When Did Running Become an Elitist Sport?

I read an article the other day that almost made my head explode. For real. The premise: Could the editors shop at a big-box retailer (Target, Sears, Sports Authority, and others) and pull together a suitable running outfit for less than $100?

I guess if you have money coming out of your bum, you're allowed to waste.

The writer called the merchandise from some of the stores "scary" and was horrified by the prospect of running in basketball shorts without built-in underwear. Another disappointment: socks that were "too cottony." What?

I have approximately zero opinions on the cost of Rory's fly-fishing gear or his brother's scuba diving get-up, simply because I've never participated in either sport.

But I've been running since I was a 15-year-old high school sophomore—more than half my life. And while I can over-spend on plenty of things, I just can't see the need for super-pricey, fancy-pants running gear. And even if one runner must have the highest-high-tech $180 shoes—we're all allowed our splurges!—I really can't understand why someone would criticize the less-expensive stuff in the middle of a stinking recession. Hello?!

One of my most favorite things about running is that it's not an expensive, elitist sport. In my mind, all you need is a decent pair of sneakers—the newfangled T-shirt, compression tights, and light-up headgear I can do without.

Here I am, post-marathon. That tank was $5 from Forever 21 and the shorts are the $22 American Apparel ones favored by The Girls Next Door. (No built-in underwear here!) The sports bra? A hand-me-down from Petra, whose mom bought it for her in the wrong size!

I get that people don't want run in junky sneakers, but eventually, don't you stop paying for better function and start paying for unnecessary bells and whistles? And isn't running in less-than-awesome sneakers better than the alternative—um, not running?

What do you guys think? Have you ever bought the most expensive or newest workout gear just because it must be the best? And have you become less of a snob in the crap economy? (I sure have!)